EXHIBIT 5



                              FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI
                                     L.L.P.
                  A Registered Limited Liability Partnership    Houston         
                                666 Fifth Avenue                Washington, D.C.
                          New York, New York 10103-3198         Austin          
                                                                San Antonio     
TELEPHONE: 212/318-3000                                         Dallas          
FACSIMILE: 212/752-5958                                         New York        
                                                                Los Angeles     
WRITER'S DIRECT DIAL NUMBER:                                    London          
                                                                Hong Kong       

August 6, 1997

Bio-Technology General Corp.
70 Wood Avenue South
Iselin, New Jersey  08830

Dear Sirs:

     We refer to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration
Statement") to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), on behalf of Bio-Technology
General Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), relating to 500,000
shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.01 par value (the "Common Stock"), to be
issued pursuant to the Bio-Technology General Corp. 1997 Stock Option Plan for
Non-Employee Directors (the "Plan").

     As counsel to the Company, we have examined such corporate records, other
documents and such questions of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate
for the purposes of this opinion and, upon the basis of such examinations,
advise you that in our opinion all necessary corporate proceedings by the
Company have been duly taken to authorize the issuance of the Common Stock
pursuant to the Plan and the shares of Common Stock being registered pursuant to
the Registration Statement, when issued and paid for in accordance with the
terms of the Plan, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.

     We consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the Registration
Statement. This consent is not to be construed as an admission that we are a
person whose consent is required to be filed with the Registration Statement
under the provisions of the Act.


                        Very truly yours,

                        /s/ FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.